Forever Underground?
by Marauder no. Five
Summary: It's only forever, not long at all. Or is it? a young woman has to decide; should she run, or could this be the life she wants. Freedom or Forever?  Rating for future chapters, this is not a disney version. title may also change. please read author's not.


**Disclaimer:** I do not own Labyrinth or anything relating to the movie and/or novels.

**A.N.:** Now, I know that some of you are waiting for me to update my other stories but this has been floating around in my head for ages and I wanted start writing it down.

This chapter is just to see how everyone likes it and to get some constructive criticism. I won't be uploading more chapters until I'm happy with how the story is going.

I didn't want this to be were the girl was absolutely perfect and the Labyrinth proved to be a walk in the park with only a few minor annoyances to slow her down. So she is very ill, which will come in handy later on, and this won't be the Disney version (having said that I'd like to point out that I'm pretty sure Scary Movie 1, 2, etc. are Disney movies.)

**Summary:**_ It's only forever, not long at all. Or is it? a young woman has to decide; should she run, or could this be the life she wants. Freedom or Forever?_

_**Forever Underground?**_

**Chapter 1**

An owl sat watching, eyes bright and focused, as a young girl dashed barefoot across the grass and up to an old tree with a tyre swing. Her laughter filled the air as the swing moved back and forth, the child lifting her feet as the tyre rose into the air, the wind blowing her long brown hair across her face as the swing came back down.

The sound of something else laughing was carried by on the wind but the child ignored it, engrossed as she was in her fun. The owl hooted, ruffled its feathers and flew off on silent wings.

"I wish the goblins would come and take me away," a young woman was sitting in front of the TV, her laptop poised carefully on her knees as she read a section of text aloud; pretending she was the character in the story and purposely overacting her part. She had been watching her copy of 'labyrinth' for the bizillionth time and, for fun, had started flicking through a fanfiction site's collection of Labyrinth stories. Some seemed really funny; '101 Ways to Annoy Jareth' was very entertaining, but she had been hoping for a good story with an OC running the Labyrinth. Eventually she had found a story titled 'Jareth and the OC'. Not the best title the world has ever seen but the story itself was proving to be quite enjoyable so far, though she had found the start a little slow. The summary of the story had read: _a girl wishes herself away to a magical world only to find herself fighting to solve the riddle of the Labyrinth. Having charmed the Goblin King and having persuaded him to return the child to her and release them from the Labyrinth, she will now have to face her ultimate test. There are those in the Labyrinth that wished to harm her new love and she must fight them and win. Can their love survive a war between Gods and Fae?_ It sounded pretty cheesy but she had the whole day to herself and since it was only nine o'clock she was already getting bored she decided to give it a shot. What was fifteen minutes, really?

It was day four of staying home from school. She had been suffering from a persistent cold for the last few weeks and, having finally gone to see a doctor, she was told she had a minor lung infection and her immune system had become low resulting in a stomach bug. To give her body a chance to recover she had been ordered to keep to her bed and rest. The doctor had prescribed several courses of medication to help fight the infection and to relieve the symptoms of upset stomach; the smell of any type of food, no matter how delicious, had her running to the bathroom and hunched over the toilet bowl.

"I wish they really would come and take me away," she finished in a dramatic imitation of the movie Sarah, flinging her hand to forehead with a swooning gesture. Snorting at the fanfic character's actions she suddenly jumped, barely catching the laptop as it fell from its perch. A rustle of feathers against the window and frantic scratching at the sill had startled her, but when she turned to look the tip of a white wing was gliding out of sight. She couldn't help it and started laughing. It was the middle of the afternoon and she was acting as though she had just watched a horror movie before bed. "Honestly, Cory," she huffed to herself, righting the laptop and settling back into the chair to read, muttering about stupid birds that needed to watch where they were going.

It wasn't long before she again looked up from the screen. The lamp in the corner of the room had wobbled and she'd seen the movement from the corner of her eye. "Tye?" she called, expecting her family's little tortoise-shell cat to come racing out from behind the furniture. Something dashed behind the lounge and she sat up straighter, trying to see what the troublesome feline was up to. "Tye-dye, come out here before you break something." A blanket that had been neatly folded and left on the back of the lounge fell to floor and the sound of something scuffling along the wooden floors could be heard. "What _are_ you doing, you silly thing." Shaking her head in amusement she put the laptop down on the coffee table and, coughing, stood to investigate. Planning to chase him from the room if she had to, she paused the movie, a shot of a beautiful ball room and confused looking girl glowing from the screen.

Making her way around the furniture she looked for the little cat; dropping to her hands and knees to peer under the lounge and then under the display case. "Come on, Tye. Puss, puss, puss," she called. She sat back on her heels as more scuffling and scratching sounded from the other side of the room. Sighing in annoyance she started to get to feet when another sound made her freeze. A giggle had just come from the cupboards behind her. Still crouching, she slowly turned her body to face the cupboard doors. For a moment there was no sound and then the picture on the television screen flickered as the cupboard shook and unseen things scuttled across the floor.

The screen went blank and the curtains drew themselves closed, blocking the afternoon sun. Everything was still and silent in the shadowy room. Corrine could feel her heart thumping in fear and the air in her chest began to feel uncomfortable, but she resisted the urge to cough fearing what might be lurking in hidden places of the room.

The quiet lasted for barely a moment before a screech sounded from the hallway and cackling laughter erupted throughout the room. Cory jumped to her feet and spun to face the centre of the room as the doors and windows started to rattle. She grabbed a heavy book from the table as the curtains tore themselves back from the windows, flooding the room once more with soft afternoon light. The laughter became louder and then, with another screech, an owl swooped in through the lounge room door.

The laughter stopped suddenly as the owl, with it wings spread in mid-flight, began to transform into a man. Cory raised the book ready to hit the person with it or alternatively throw it at him.

The man standing before was tall, had blonde hair, pale skin and peculiar eyes with one pupil decidedly larger than the other. He was wearing a ruffled, dusty blue coloured shirt, tight fitting grey breeches that showed a distinct bulge and polished black boots that reached to his thighs. Altogether he had a strange, sinister look about him and Cory took a step back towards the wall.

She looked at him in alarm. "It's you, isn't it?" She lowered her hand and the book in shock, her eyes never leaving his face. "You're the Goblin King."

"You called for me and I am here," his voice was smooth and almost charming, but it didn't match the predatory smile.

She was frozen for a moment as she tried to understand what was happening. "But I've said the words before and nothing has happened."

"Naïve little girl," he taunted as he looked her up and down. "You recited the words of a film, like many other stupid girls, and wished away a non-existent child. You did this so often I was beginning to lose faith in you. But now you are mine." He finished smugly.

She narrowed her eyes, fear momentarily forgotten at being referred to as belonging to someone as though she were a doll or a pet. "Excuse me?"

"You have wished yourself away to me and now I am claiming you. What do you not understand?" He spoke to her as though she were a simple minded child and it was beginning to irritate her.

"You have no power over me," Cory tried to state calmly, fighting a cough building in her throat. She watched as his expression turned from mocking to angry and back again.

He smiled coldly. "Naïve little girl," he repeated, "Such a line has no power over _me._" To prove his point he stepped forward and removed the book from her hands before she had a chance to react, dropping it with a thud onto the nearby side-table. "Now say goodbye, child, it is time to go."

"Bye then. Hope you crash." She tried to sidestep him in order to run for the door.

As she turned to avoid running into the lounge she had to stop suddenly. The Goblin King had moved, faster than she could blink, and was now standing in front of her again, blocking the way to the door.

"I'm not going anywhere with you," she said firmly, taking a step backwards so she was out of reach, thinking to herself how this could not be happening. Something cackled from the cupboard to her left and she startled, jumping out away from the little doors. She was beginning to think that the unseen creatures may be goblins, but found logic was trying to step in and tell her such things didn't exist.

"What's said is said," the Goblin King replied with his arms crossed nonchalantly as he spoke.

"But I didn't mean it," she insisted, moving herself away from the shaking cabinets and putting the lounge between her and the Goblin King.

He raised an eyebrow. "Oh, you didn't?"

She shook her head in the negative. "I was just reading aloud, I didn't actually want you to come. I didn't believe you were real. Actually, I'm still not sure I believe it. I have taken a lot of stuff today, you probably just a hallucination, brought on by mixing sleep-aid with anti-nausea medication." She was rambling in her panic and the man gave a short laugh at her expense.

"Dear Corrine," he shook his head in apparent amusement, before turning serious. "I have a present for you."

"What is it?" she asked suspiciously. She'd seen the movie enough to know he was up to something.

He drew a glass bubble out of the air and rocked it back and forth between his fingers. "It is a crystal, nothing more." He assured her. Corrine's eyes followed the crystal of their own accord as it moved hypnotically across his fingers. "But if you turn it this way and look into it, it will show you your dreams." He held it out to her. "Do you want it."

She took a step forward and reached out slowly but as her fingers neared the clear ball she suddenly shook her hand and quickly pulled her hand back. "No! I know what you're trying to do." She took several steps backwards to distance herself from him once again.

"Corrine." He snapped as he turned the crystal into a snake that then wrapped itself around his hand. "Don't defy me," he warned before tossing the snake in her direction.

Startled, Corrine jumped back and tried to brush the snake off, stopping her frantic movements when her fingers came into contact with silk instead of scales. Slowly she pulled a silk scarf from around her neck. She should have been expecting that. "That was a horrible thing to do." She glared angrily at him and threw the scarf onto the floor at his feet. The Goblin King did not look happy at the response he was receiving.

Instantly he was behind her and his hand was gripping the back of neck forcefully. He tilted her head back and turned it until she was looking at him. "You are no match for me, little one," he said calmly, satisfied when she closed her eyes rather than look at him directly. "Surrender to me, Corrine, and all your wishes can come true."

"No," she wheezed, it was getting harder to not break into a coughing fit.

The King glowered for a second and she had a strong desire to spit at him, but she didn't think that would go over to well. After his face had smoothed itself out again he said calmly, "I am a fair ruler so I will make you a bargain. If you can solve my Labyrinth within thirteen hours I will let you leave."

Cory thought for a moment, "You'll bring me back home and I'll never have to hear from you again?" he was glad she had again averted her gaze from his as his expression was one of mild surprise. He had known she was intelligent when he first began to watch her, but for the girl to make his offer more specific was very clever indeed. He liked to leave things open so he could change the rules later on and still keep to his word.

"Yes."

She frowned, knowing something wasn't quite right with this, aside from the fact he still had a vice-like grip on her neck. "I make it through the Labyrinth and you'll bring me home, back to this very spot," she pressed, "immediately?"

"Of course." He sounded too sure of himself and she was worried she'd forgotten something.

"And if I should fail? What happens then?" She began to cough, eyes watering and nose beginning to run. This was when he'd screw her over, she knew it.

He grinned evilly. "The same as should you choose not to face the Labyrinth. You will be mine to do with as I please. Remember you have wished yourself away, you now belong to me."

Feeling this was something she may soon regret, she screwed up her eyes and took a deep breath, "Make it fifteen hours and you have deal."

His smile was smug as he heard her agree. "I believe thirteen is more than fair, but you may have an extra hour for all the good it will do you. Agreed?" Cory nodded her head, the movement almost imperceptible. Sarah did it in less than twelve hours, surely she could do it in fourteen. "It's further than you think and time is shor," he said as though he were reading her thoughts. The ground shifted beneath them and colours swirled together.

When everything stopped the Goblin King gestured to a strange looking clock that had appeared before them. "You have fourteen hours to solve the labyrinth and reach the outer gates before you are trapped here and become one of us forever. Such a pity." He mocked as he became translucent then vanished altogether.

She felt his hand disappear from her neck and looked around. Only to realise that she was now standing on a walkway that stretched the length of a castle wall. She could see the gates to the goblin city in the distance. It would take her at least a half hour to reach them from the foot of the castle and she was somewhere on an upper level. She wiped her nose on her sleeve and silently cursed the Goblin King as she carefully made her way down a nearby ladder.


End file.
